CHAPTER VIII.
UNGRATIFIED CURIOSITY.
There is a period in every young man's first outset in life, which gives a colouring to his future destiny.

It is the time for action, for mental and moral improvement, and the manner in which it is applied or neglected, will decide his character, or leave him weak and vacillating all the days of his life.
If this precious portion of existence be wasted in frivolous amusements, time gets the start of us, and no after-exertion will enable us to overtake him in his flight.

This important era was mine; and I lost no opportunity of turning it to the best advantage.

I worked early and late in the office, and made myself master of the nature of the work which employed my hands.

I learned the philosophy of those law forms, which hitherto I had only copied mechanically, and looked upon as a weary task, and I soon reaped the benefit of my increased stock of knowledge.